ANA Bayelsa Chapter Institutes Annual Children’s Day Poetry Prize in Honour of Late Poetry Icon, HRH. C.A.O. Otobotekere
By Amos Odhe.
The Bayelsa state Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has instituted an annual Children’s Day Poetry Prize in honour of the late Poet King, Christian Atani Okpofa Otobotekere.
The late poetry icon, who passed on earlier this year on February 13th, is billed for a state burial on June, 2023. He was the Grand Patron of ANA Bayelsa – the creative writers’ association.
ANA Bayelsa, led by its incumbent Chairman, Comrade Julius Laye, and three other former Chairmen – Dr Akpos Adesi, Chief Ebinyo Ogbowei and Comrade Amatare Mozimo, joined other literary enthusiasts to give children of Ekpetiama kingdom an exciting Children’s Day celebration.
Master Terry Tony Ile of Belary International School, gave a presentation as Associate Professor of Dramatic Arts from the Niger Delta University (NDU), Rudolf Kansese and Mr Jones Siseri and others joined in the flurry of creative expressions.
The Quiz Segment was anchored by Mr Samuel Okechukwu, and was assisted by Mr. Emmanuel Okafor as Recorder.
At the end of the lyrical poetry contest for Primary Schools, Oxford Foundation Academy, Tombia came tops followed by Ayama Montessori School, Tombia with Community Primary School, Tombia clinching the second runner up slot.
Other schools which got the consolation prizes were: Emmy Royal Academy, St John’s School Okolobiri, and Solid Rock Academy, Tombia.
In the Secondary Schools category, which included contests in various segments such as spelling bee, literary quiz and poetic renditions, it saw Ayama Montessori School, Tombia, represented by Grace Maxwell and Peremobowei Otini, crowned the overall champions and Ekpetiama Community High School (ECHS), represented by Daniel Caleb and Joshua Sese, took the first runner up slot.
Choice literary prizes of books and writing materials, were awarded to the champions and participating schools at the Children’s Day Literary Fiesta for schools of Ekpetiama extraction.
Some members of the Otobotekere family represented by Mr Julius Okpofa, last son of the deceased, and another member of the Tombia Chief’s Council was full of praises to ANA Bayelsa for keeping the literary legacies of their patriarch through programmes such as this Children’s Day Literary Fiesta for schools in Ekpetiama extraction in honour of the late poet king!
They thanked ANA Bayelsa for coming up with the brilliant idea to celebrate their late patriarch as the Otobotekere family shall partner with the writers body (ANA Bayelsa) to ensure the tradition of a Literary Fiesta for children continues every year.
Indeed, the Tombia-Ekpetiama Literary Fiesta for Students to commemorate Children’s Day Annually has come stay as every Children’s Day May 27th, Bayelsa writers shall converge on Tombia-Ekpetiama to give the departed poet king an annual Literary Memorial!
